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Range Report I'm not sure I understand my DOPE...

DJL2

Tiger 33A
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 16, 2013
1,139
881
OCONUS - Land of Kimchi
I've got a 300 yard range close at hand. I went today out to re-zero my optic, reset the turrets and confirm my come-ups @ 300 to set myself up for some future endeavors. Since I was shooting ELD-M 140s, I figured why not use the Hornady calculator as a starting point. It was blustery today, in from my 9 o'clock or so. My MV is 2660 fps, the "try" was 1.3 mils. I did my best to shoot when it was calm; group indicates this was largely successful (I didn't hold/dial wind at all). 1.3 was good to go for my come up.

I was feeling pretty good...then noted that the "try" for that range and MV was anywhere between 1.1 and 1.3 depending on wind direction. I suppose 1.2 for calm conditions should have been the real deal. I don't think my come up was off. I guess the good news is that the trajectory deviation is never projected to by more than .1 mil from calm. That said, is it worth messing with inputs to square things? Do things even need truing here or am I just missing something obvious?
 
300 is way too close to do any kind of truing. Don't start altering known inputs until you get out to 2/3rds or so of your max supersonic range.
 
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DJL2 - if I'm off base apologies, but might it have been preferable to recheck Zero and reset turrets at 100 so minimising impact of environmentals, prior to checking come ups at 300? As per Cory re truing.
 
DJL2 - if I'm off base apologies, but might it have been preferable to recheck Zero and reset turrets at 100 so minimising impact of environmentals, prior to checking come ups at 300? As per Cory re truing.

You're right - at least I think so, as that's what I did before coming on here to demonstrate why whisky and posting are to be combined only with great care. The zero thing was actually two range trips - the first go I was bogged down by a really nice, very talkative RSO. I shot in at 100, tweaked my zero, and then moved the target.

Noted on the messing with data thing. I'm gonna MSV3 it again - I like picking up speed, but I hope that I've levelled off at this point. This barrel gained something like 100 fps from new.
 
Sounds like it’s also factoring in aerodynamic jump. Which some turn on and some turn off. And as said before, you need further distances to true correctly.

I usually get my real world for 300 600 900. Then tweak the software to line up with that curve if needed.
 
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If your new shoot and confirm at 100 before trying 300.
This verifies your scope is zeroed... elevation and wind age at zero.
It also verifies you.... until those 2 things align consistently nothing else matters.

300 and 600 will verify / true your MV after 100 yd is solid and consistent.

Fyi... 100 yd zero should not need changed after barrel has settled in (usually less than 150 rounds) unless you change ammo or lot #s on ammo.
 
Oh, I'm always messing with something. Today, for example, I spent some time shooting off the bipod with different holds..something I don't usually do. Good zero...shooting another matter altogether. I'm pretty sure I'm not properly loading my (low speed, I know) Harris. What really got things moving, was when I put the APA brake back on. Voila, .4 mrad low, just like that. On the bright side, I got to appreciate what a huge difference it makes.
 
So let's make this possible.....
Attach bipod with feet forward.
Leave bipod attached for this process.
Do NOT make any changes or adjustments to ANYTHING.
Shoot rifle multiple times at 100 practicing good fundamentals and being consistent in what you do each time.... take your time.... DO NOT adjust scope zero or brake or anything until you consistently put 5 rounds into a consistent pattern.... it doesnt need to be a .25 inch group. A 1.5" group to start will be ok. But it has to be a group that's repeatable.

Same ammo and lot number each trip also.

Do not adjust rifle
Do not adjust anything....

See where I'm going with this?

Start this way and you will progress so much faster!
 
First target shot off my assault pack w/o rear bag (no brake). Clearly, I’ve got some issues with trigger control / recoil management.

172704BC-CCEC-4431-8093-80D1E5562320.jpeg


Second and third target, from right to left. Second - on the bipod, rear bag. I don‘t usually shoot with crossed arms - more or less the same horizontal, but with vertical stringing added for flavor! Third target is the addition of the APA brake. This markedly different vertical POI was not unique to this target. Target 4, not shown, has also about .5 inches of horizontal with a full 1.5 inches of vertical. I think I varied leg length between some of these groups...
35E492C3-15F6-4599-8587-565FB06E7971.jpeg


I am definitely riding the struggle bus...I just can’t seem to pick a seat, either.
 
Then just suck at one thing at a time.

Changing to many things will leave you not knowing what you are doing wrong. Three or four small things can lead to much larger combined problems.